A long week, but a good one

We arrived back in Calgary Monday night around 10:00 - a day earlier than planned. Jerry was in the "groove" as he called it, and the driving conditions were splendid. The only unfortunate thing was that I didn't take any pictures of the wonderful mountain and sky scapes that surrounded us as we travelled, but their images are indelibly etched in my head - not that that helps any of you reading this account.

I saw my mother at home before she went into the hospital on Tuesday. Many people called to wish her well with the surgery. Although the phone was ringing off the hook at times, my mother really enjoyed speaking with everyone. It struck me how important it is to call people when they are going through difficult times. So often, and I have been guilty of this more times than I care to admit, we feel that we are intruding. Sometimes, too, at least in my case I didn't know what to say. If my mother's experience is any indication, I've learned that the calls demonstrated that she was being supported and cheered on. And one doesn't have to say much- just letting the person know that she is being thought of is key.

The operation on Wednesday went very well according to the doctors and nurses. After coming out of the recovery room, I was surprised and relieved to see that she had good colour, was alert, feisty and in excellent spirits.

Mum was surprised and grateful that the pain was, in her words,” not as bad as I thought." Thankfully, this was the case. Mum is now at home after spending two nights in the hospital. She is walking around on her own and eating well. Not bad for an 85-year-old! When the tests from the surgery come back next week, my mother and her doctor will decide the best course of action in terms of treatment and radiation options.

Tomorrow I will visit her after I go walking with my husband in the morning. It is a good feeling being back in Calgary after almost 7 months away.

On the road

We left much later Saturday than expected. The automatic irrigation system for the backyard had stopped working on Friday (due to severed or worn-out wires). As a result, Jerry spent a good deal of time trying to fix the problem. Finally, Saturday morning, with the help of Joe (the landscape designer and gardener who did our desert landscaping) the system was back up and running. Whew!

It was close to 10:30 a.m. before we hit the road. It was a good feeling finally being on our way. We drove until 4:00 o'clock, and then settled in for the evening at a pleasant enough hotel in Mesquite.

This morning we left bright and early and drove from Mesquite all the way to Pocatello, Idaho. The snow-capped mountains and rocky ridge formations are awe inspiring! When we drive back to Rancho Mirage in the fall, we hope (G-d willing) to take a side trip to the Grand Canyon.

We are now happily ensconced in a comfortable room at the Red Lion Hotel after a relaxing and pleasant dinner in their steakhouse. A warm bath, a good book, a wonderful partner - I am blessed.